LOCAL Loophole lets some children fall behind...

April 18, 2006

LOCALLoophole lets some children fall behind Michigan is among many states using a loophole in the No Child Left Behind Act to not measure minority progress in school. The states have skirted the federal law's requirement that students of all races show annual academic progress. But the loophole lets schools select, in some cases, which students are measured -- or not measured -- for academic progress. A1Granholm orders cut in power plant mercury Gov. Jennifer Granholm on Monday said her administration would order Michigan electric power plants to eliminate 90 percent of their mercury emissions by 2015. The policy will require utilities to exceed mercury reduction standards announced by the Bush administration last year. Michigan is among more than a dozen states suing the federal government over the standards, saying they are too weak. B2Michigan may have something for you Marshall Mathers, the state of Michigan has something of yours. The rapper better known as Eminem may not be hurting for cash, but if he ever runs low, he can pick up the unclaimed property turned over by Michigan National Bank. The state Treasury Department lists Mathers on its unclaimed property Web site. The Treasury Department holds on to millions of dollars in forgotten bank accounts, uncashed paychecks, dividend payments and other property that have been sent to the state when a company can't find the person owed the money or property. B2BUSINESSOil and gas prices rise based on supply fears Oil prices settled at a record high above $70 a barrel on Monday, rising more than $1 on concerns about supply disruptions in Nigeria and diplomatic tensions between the West and Iran over Tehran's nuclear ambitions. Meanwhile, the nationwide average for regular unleaded is $2.78 per gallon, or 55 cents higher than last year, according to the Energy Department. C8